Improvement in reclining-chairs



1i WAYLAND.

Reclining-Chairs v Patented April 7,1874,

AMHIMWOGMFI/IL' Call K (0650/?11/[31/104555) PATENT FFICE.

\ JAMESWAYLAND, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN RECLlNlNG-CHAIRS.

Specification forming part oi Letters Patent No.149,552, dated April 7 1874; application filed March 17, 1874.

To ah whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WAYLAND, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improved Reclining-Ghair, of which the followin g is a specification:

My invention relates to certain improve ments whereby the chair may be arranged and locked to face in different directions, and whereby, also, the seat may be inclined at different angles, at the pleasure of the occupant, and the back may be inclined independently of the seat. The invention consists in a divided pivoted pedestal in combination with a spring and a pin for locking the pedestal, and a pin for preventing vertical displacement. The invention consists, further, in the combination, with the pedestal and the seat, of a cam-shaft and lever and a series of notches for adjusting and retaining the seat at different angles of inclination. The invention consists, further, in the combination, with the back of the chair, of a lever, shaft, pawl, and ratchet for inclining the back independently of the seat.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved chair. Fig. 2 is a back view. Fig. 3 is a side view.

To the floor A or a suitable platform is secured-the pedestal, which is divided into two parts, B (l, the lower part B having a vertical pivot, 12, fitting in a corresponding socket, c, in the upper part 0. A spring, D, has one end rigidly attached to the lower part B. At a point on the inner side of this spring opposite to the joint between the two parts B (J a pin, al projects inward and engages with two semi-cylindrical notches, one of which is formed in the upper edge of the lower part B, and the other on the lower edge of the upper part 0, so that when together they form a round hole, 0, into which the pin (1 fits snugly and locks the pedestal in position, so as to prevent it from turning until the spring D is pulled outward. On the spring D, above the pin al is another pin, 01 which engages with-a hole f, in the upper part 0, and preventsvertical displacement thereof. This pin may, if preferred, be placed upon another spring, so as to work independently of the spring D. There may be any des'iredmumher of the holes 0 and f, so

that the chair may be made to face in different directions. The upper part 0 of the pedestal has its upper surface 0 inclined at an angle corresponding with the extreme desired inclination of the seat. To the front or highest portion of this inclined surface 0 the seat H is pivoted by means of lugs g g. Near the rear portion of the inclined surface 0 is a shaft, I, to which are attached two cams, J, one near each end, and a lever, K, which lever passes upward through a slot, h, in the seat, and en-. gages with notches 5, formed in the edge of the slot.

When it is desired to adjust and retain the seat in a horizontal position, the lever K is moved forward and downward and pressed into the foremost notch, and the parts are held in the position shown in Fig. 1. 'When the seat is to be inclined backward,tl1e lever is released from the foremost notch and moved backward until the seat is inclined at the desired angle, as shown in Fig. 3. When in its extreme backward position the seat rests upon the inclined surface 0 The back L has its lower edge hinged to the rear edge of the seat H, and is connected to the arms'by means of bars a, the front ends of which are pivoted to the arms, and the rear ends have a rod or shaft, M, passing through them and through slots Z in the side pieces of the back. Near the ends of the shaft M are pawls p, which engage with ratchets r in the slots Z. On one end of the shaft M is a handle or lever, Q, by means of which the pawls may be caused to engage with, or disengage from, the ratchets. When the back is in an upright position the pawls are engaged with the uppermost teeth of the ratchets, as shown in Fig. l, and when in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 3, the pawls engage with the lower teeth.

To incline the back from a vertical position, the pawls are released by means of the handle Q; but to place it in a vertical position, it is only necessary to pull it forward and allow the pawls to drop into place.

The cam-shaft I, instead of working in bearings attached to the top of the pedestal, may be arranged in bearings attached to the seat; and, in that case, the cams will work upon the pedestal. This would be the equivalent of the arrangement shown in the drawings, and here- 3. The combination, with the pedestal and inbefore fully described. the seat, of the cams J J, their shaft I, and le- WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure ver K, and the notches '5, as shown and doby Letters Patent, isscribed, for the purpose specified.

1. The combination,with the divided pivoted 4. In combination with the back of the pedestal B G, of the spring 1) and pin (1 for chair, the lever Q, shaft M, pawls p, ratchets locking the pedestal in position, substantially 1', slots 1, and bars n, all arranged to operate as shown and described. substantially as and for the purpose described. 2. The combination, with the divided ped- JAMES W'AYLAND.

estal B O, of a spring, D, and a pin, d, for Witnesses:

preventingverticaldisplacement, substantially HENRY T. BROWN,

as shown and. described. MICHAEL RYAN. 

